Archive for April, 2015

Grand Opening for Grand Kids Log Hive

Posted in Hives, Log hives, Natural Beekeeping, tagged , , , , , , on April 22, 2015| 25 Comments »

April 17, 2015...I wonder if I should hang a sign declaring,

April 19, 2015…I wonder if I should hang a sign declaring, “Top Bar Log Hive Ready for Immediate Occupancy.”

March 30, 2015...Brian Vorwaller, the wood carver is on the right...you know who on the left. We're both happy it's delivered and set up.

March 30, 2015…Brian Vorwaller, the wood carver is on the right.  We’re both happy the log hive is on site in time for swarm season.

The very beginning of the Log Hive  or when I was still calling it The Three Kid Log Hive.

January Progress Report  Not being an expert on the chainsaw, I had been worrying about how I would be able to make the vertical cut.  I wanted it to be straight.  I didn’t want the cut to widen out in places while being narrow in others.  I used the weather for an excuse, but eventually I had to face up to the challenge so I could get the log back by April.  It worked out well.

February Progress Report

Brian Vorwaller talks about sculpting the grand kids faces

March 17 visit to see the log hive

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Following a Mystery Tree…What It Is Not

Posted in Follow a tree, tagged , , on April 13, 2015| 10 Comments »

April 2, 2015...The tree is getting leaves. I'm hoping someone can ID this tree.

April 2, 2015…The tree is getting leaves. I’m hoping someone can ID it.

Does this look like an alder leaf? I've looked at dozens of alder leaves, but they look slightly different...wider, with less exaggerated serrations.

Does this look like an alder leaf? I’ve looked at dozens of alder leaves, but they look slightly different…wider, with less exaggerated serrations.   Alder leaves are supposed to be egg-shaped.

This is what the back of the leaf looks like.

This is what the back of the leaf looks like.

Are these the female flowers?

Are these the female flowers?  I apologize for the blurriness of this photo, but it shows them as they are on the tree.  The below photo is sharper.

Are these the female flowers? I snipped the branch and took it home to get a sharper photo.

I snipped the branch and took it home to get a sharper photo.

I don’t think this is a cottonwood even though the leaves are serrated, or a Balsam Poplar, or a Cascara Buckthorn, but I guess it still could be an Alder or even a birch.

You might think that I followed up on a decision to cut the ivy off this tree, but that's not factual. After reading a comment by Steve Mitchell (in my last post) about the value of ivy growing on a tree, I hesitated. The trimming was not done by myself, and at this time, I don't know 'who dun it." The owners don't know either.

You might think that I followed up on a decision to cut the ivy off this tree, but that’s not factual. After reading a comment by Steve Mitchell (in my last post) about the value of ivy growing on a tree, I hesitated.
The trimming was not done by myself, and at this time, I don’t know ‘who dun it.” The owners don’t know either.

Just for a point of reference, these fir trees across the street from the mystery tree have ivy growing up their trunks. They don't seem to be in any danger of dying, so what I've read on several web sites about ivy not being a parasite might be true.

Just for a point of reference, these fir trees across the street from the mystery tree have ivy growing up their trunks. They don’t seem to be in any danger of dying, so what I’ve read on several web sites about ivy not being a parasite might be true.

Gardening Know How says… “Alder trees (Alnus spp.) are often used in reforestation projects and to stabilize soil in wet areas, but you seldom see them in residential landscapes.”

I suppose this tree could have been started just from a bird dropping a seed, but I would really like to know what it is.  Any ideas?

 

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